New Belgium’s Asheville Brewery to Open for Public Tastings May 2

Brewery tours will start this summer

Starting in May, beer fans can kick back along the French Broad River in Asheville and sip a Fat Tire in New Belgium’s sparkling new “Liquid Center” tasting room. On May 2 the doors swing open at 21 Craven Street, Asheville, NC and the public will be able to taste locally brewed New Belgium beers for the first time at the brewery’s new location. Tasting room hours will be Monday through Saturday, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. and Sunday noon to 8:00 p.m. Public brewery tours will start this summer.

The 6,000 square foot riverside tap room is clad in local artist-made bars, tables and chairs crafted from nearly 14 linear miles of repurposed wood salvaged from the stockyard formerly onsite. A cantilevered deck sits above the new greenway and French Broad River, local food trucks will be on site, and an event lawn will be in place later this summer to host bike in movies and general outdoor fun.

“It feels like home,” said Tyler Foos, Asheville Liquid Center Manager. “When you visit, you’ll recognize us by the New Belgium beer quality and warmth you’ve come to know and love from our coworkers. And, by partnering up with neighboring artists to reuse materials from this site, we’ve added some awesome Asheville charm and history.”

Known for its sustainable business practices, the Fort Collins, CO, brewery purchased the 18-acre urban brownfield property as a targeted, sustainable, urban in-fill development strategy. The east coast locale minimizes the company’s national distribution footprint as they reach remaining east coast states, and enables them to engage with guests in a meaningful way through tastings and award-winning tours. The company is seeking LEED certification on the brewery, Liquid Center and warehouse, located eight miles west of the brewery.

Final touches are being put on the Liquid Center spaces and permits are being secured. New Belgium will host a local opening celebration that will be announced locally in May. An August 27, 2016 CeleBEERation in Asheville, will mark their 25th anniversary and Asheville brewery opening. Tickets will be available at www.NewBelgium.com this summer.

About New Belgium Brewing

New Belgium Brewing Company is a craft brewery located in Fort Collins, Colorado. It opened in 1991 after Jeff Lebesch, the brewery's founder, took his homebrewing passion commercially. In 2011, it produced 712,800 barrels of its various labels. As of 2012, it was the third-largest craft brewery and eighth-largest overall brewery in the United States.

Fat Tire, an amber ale, is the company's flagship beer.

New Belgium will be opening the doors to their Asheville location located in the River Arts District in 2016.